Your Immune System
This web site was set up to help you understand more about your immune
system. It will help you approach the healing process with greater understanding and to know if you are dealing with an autoimmune disorder.
Why is your immune system important
Without it, our bodies are vulnerable to invasion of all sorts of harmful organisms and you will eventually die from an overwhelming infection such as AIDS. The HIV virus that causes AIDS destroys the T-helper cells and without the T-helper cells, it is unable to defend the body. Also notice how fast the body decays after death, when there is no longer a working immune system left to kill off the invaders?
What is this immune system that we have
This is the mechanism you are born with that will protect you against germs, microorganisms, toxins and other "foreign invaders". It is a powerful defense system and comprises of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend your body against diseases and thus gives you immunity from these diseases.
Your immune system's most basic function is to recognize what is "self" and what is foreign- "non-self". Like an army it must know who is your friend and who is the enemy. It will therefore recognize all the normal tissues in our bodies, builds a blueprint of previous exposure to foreign microorganisms, and then adjusts itself as it goes along.
It does not attempt to repel every microbe and parasite that entered our bodies as many of these are helpful and necessary for ordinary healthy human functioning, such as the bacteria in the intestinal tract which helps us to digest food and keep the area clean of other harmful invaders.
However things can also go wrong with your immune system. These disorders can be broken down into four categories: (Click on the links to find out more)
- Immunodeficiency disorders
- Autoimmune disorders
- Allergic disorders
- Cancers of the immune system
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Immunity means protection from diseases. We have two levels of defense system:
-
Innate or natural system
- Adaptive or acquired system
Innate immune system
This is our first line of defense and comprises the physical and chemical barriers to provide a built-in always present protection. They include our:
Skin : This is probably our most effective barrier against foreign invasions. It is only penetrable through cuts or abrasions. It secretes antibacterial substances that helps keep the germs out.
Eyes : Our tears washes away any microbes that landed there. Tears contain an enzyme that will destroy the bacteria by breaking down their cell walls.
Nose: The mucous coated hairs in our nose helps trap dust, pollen, bacteria, viruses and pollutants from the air which we breathe inadvertently. As they enter they trigger a sneeze and this will expel them out.
Respiratory tract : The cells lining the airways to the lungs secrete sticky mucus that will trap the invading microbes. The airways are also lined with tiny hairs (called cilia) and their movement will then carry the germs out of the lungs and into the throat. They tickle our throat and coughing will force them out. This prevents the germs from reaching our lungs.
Stomach and intestines : The lining of the gastro-intestinal tract has a huge concentration of immune cells, germs that enter the intestinal system are killed by the stomach acid and enzyme present. Colonies of good and helpful bacteria also resides here.
Reproductive and urinary tracts : These contains helpful bacteria that will help reduce the harmful ones. Also vaginal secretions are highly acidic which protects the reproductive tract from these microorganism.
The inflammatory response : Inflammation is a local injury defensive action. It stops the spread of microbes from the site of an injury and gets rid of the dead cells and microbes so that repair processes can take place. Some signs of inflammation are redness, warmth, swelling and pain.
The redness is caused by the widening of blood vessels around the injury causing more fluid to leak into the surrounding tissues, which then swells. These actions activate your immune system response and white blood cells and certain blood proteins move in to fight the germs causing the infection.
Natural killer cells : These are a type of white blood cells that are dispersed throughout the body. They are able to recognize foreign substances on the surfaces of the non-normal cells and will destroy them before the adaptive immune system is alerted.
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The Adaptive Immune System
The second level of defense takes a longer time to swing into action but it will increase in strength and effectiveness with each encounter. It is only triggered when it comes into contact with a foreign substance called an antigen. It then mobilizes an army of antibodies and killer white cells to destroy the invaders.
This adaptive immunity develops throughout our lives as it adapts its response to a particular invader ie it keeps a record of the attack and the antibodies to go with it. When the same or similar invader attacks again, your immune system will trigger the release of that particular antibodies to repel the attack.
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